Achieving The Cyrodiilic Dream
by Oblivion Explorer
Summary: A young boy named Nathan and his family fall from prosperity to Poverty. Now a young man, Nathan must set out and make a life for himself to help bring his family back up to prosperity. However, Nathan doesn't know what adventures lie ahead of him...
1. Chapter 1

The Cyrodiilic Dream

Oblivion Explorer

Chapter 1

It was a sunny afternoon at Shardrock farm. Small breezes grazed the tips of the vines in the vineyard. The tops of weeds and grass bowed down in the winds direction. Then, with a quick stomp, some of the grass was trampled. The foot quickly lifted, and the grass returned to its standing form.

A boy was running through the Shardrock vineyards and the fields surrounding them. It was a young Argonian boy, no older than the age of ten. His spines, which swayed from side to side as he ran, were still small and had not finished growing. The blue youth marks still were visible on the side of his face and showed no signs of disappearing.

The boy swung his hands around holding an invisible sword, as he struck invisible enemies. Striking them to the ground.

"You do not have Shardrock Castle! We do!" the boy said with a smile.

He continued to strike down his invisible foes with his trusty stick. The boy pictured this stick as a beautiful silver longsword. It was crowned with all sorts of jewels at the hilt, and it shined in the sunlight. The boy would let no one else have it. He was the creator after all.

"Nathan!"

The boy turned around. He looked back at his home at Shardrock farm. Far away, Nathan Hilcrest could see a figure in the doorway of the large home.

"Dinner! It's time to come in!" the figure shouted.

Nathan sighed. Of all the activities he did, running around and exploring around the farm with his stick was his favorite of all. With it being dinner time, Nathan realized that his exploration must wait until the next day.

The Argonian reached the front of his home, where an Imperial woman was standing in the doorway smiling. She walked up to Nathan and lowered down to give her son a hug. Her blonde hair seemed to act like a veil, covering them both with its long length. She placed her hand on Nathan's shoulders.

"Have fun running around today?" she asked.

"Yes mother. Hate to see it end for the day." The boy responded.

"You always have tomorrow, so don't sit on it too much. The fields will be here tomorrow." Kara Hilcrest responded.

While Kara speaked to her son, Gregory Hilcrest appeared in the doorway, and smiled at his family as the spoke to each other. Nathan and Kara looked at Gregory, and smiled as well.

"C'mon in you two, dinner is served." Gregory said. Nathan and Kara then got up and followed Gregory in to the house.

The Hilcrest family was not an ordinary family. Gregory and Kara were married in their early twenties, and seemed to be a normal couple at the time. Gregory came from a successful farming family, which he inherited when his parents were killed in a freak bandit attack. Kara came from a merchant family that lived in the Temple District of the Imperial City. The two moved to Shardrock to take over the Hilcrest Winery Company that supplied Skingrad with some of the finest wine it could come up to.

Then the time came when Kara and Gregory decided to start a family. The Family business brought in more than enough money to have a family of six, so the plan seemed fine. However, unexpected barriers almost stopped a family from happening. Kara had two miscarriages. Thus, with little options, the couple decided to adopt a child.

The two traveled to Skingrad and visited the orphanage. There were plenty of children of a very young age, and were no older than five years old. Gregory insisted on an Imperial child since it made sense for two Imperials to have one of their own race. Kara did not limit herself to getting a child of the same race. She saw a perfect son or daughter in any of the children. As the kids played with one another, there was one child staying away from everyone else. He stayed in the corner of the common room while everyone else played in the other areas. Kara, saddened by the look of loneliness on the child's face, approached him. Once next to the kid, she sat down with him.

"What are you doing over here all alone young man?" Kara asked the kid.

"I don't… have friends." The boy said. He spoke very proper for a boy so young.

"Well, not everyone is the same. However, everyone can have friends." Kara said with a smile. The boy looked up at her and grinned. He looked so precious in Kara's eyes. She had no question this is the son she wanted.

"I'll be right back. You stay right here you!" she said. She got up and returned to Gregory and the Orphan owner.

"I want him Gregory. He's the son I want." Kara said.

"What? Kara, how do you know he's the one you want when you haven't even sat down with the other kids here? And he's an Argonian, not Imperial!" Gregory said.

"He doesn't have to be Imperial Gregory, he's precious the way he is. And even if he's not Imperial, I know you will love him as a father. You have to." Kara said. Gregory stood silent. He wanted to argue it, but he knew it was hopeless. She wanted the Argonian boy.

Kara found out the boy's history from the head of the Orphanage. The boy had no name, or could remember no name. He was from Bravil, where he had lived his live before the orphanage. His parents had fallen hard on skooma, and after a mage checked the boy out, found skooma in the boy's system as well. Bruises seemed to indicate the boy was beaten, and not taken care of. He seemed to live off what he could find in the pits of Bravil. However, after a neighbor saw what the parents did to the boy, they had him taken from their custody, and put in an orphanage far away from where his parents could find him. The boy then stayed there for the next three months till the day Kara came. His days of mistreatment would be over. That very same day Kara and Gregory came to the orphanage, they became his parents. And a few days later, Kara came up with the name Nathan, which was Gregory's father's name. Gregory was against this at first, but reluctantly agreed.

Five years had passed, and Gregory was no longer considered an adopted son. He was a true family member. His mother had loved him the second she had laid eyes upon him. It took a bit longer for his father, but Gregory matured past what he thought was proper, and moved to what was right. All the time would Gregory mock his old self for being selfish and not wanting anything else but an Imperial son or daughter. He taught his new son how to do many things, such as farm, and make his own good food. Gregory also knew a few basic combat skills but nothing serious. He taught his son the fundamentals he knew on swordplay and archery. Afterwards, while walking with his father, Nathan found a stick that was perfectly straight and seemed almost like a sword. Ever since then, Nathan kept this stick on him. It was his first weapon, which unfortunately to Nathan, this stick would never strike against an enemy.

The family continued to eat dinner and talk. Gregory talked about a big sale that was brewing that would put the family business over the top in the future, which made Kara and Nathan happy. Life was great for the three, and nothing seemed to be in sight that would end this happiness.

However, that night, as Nathan lay asleep, he awakens to a sound of yells and screams. Then he could hear running feet in the distance. Alarmed, he rushed out of bed and in to his parents room. He awoke his mother and father and told them of what he heard. The sounds could now be heard even clearer. Gregory grabbed his steel longsword that lay at his bedside. Nathan went to grab his father's other sword, but Gregory grabbed it before his son could.

"No! You get in to the basement! Your mother and I will take care of this!" his father shouted. Nathan hesitated, and then did what he was told. He went in to the basement, quickly lit the torches that were on the walls, and huddled in the corner. He heard more shouting, more yells. Then, after about a minute, Nathan could smell something burning. Smoke preceded to float down the stairs in to the basement. Nathan could hear his name being yelled for, and to get out of there. Then, smoke filled the entire room. It became very dark. All Nathan could see was the faint light of the torches on the walls. It became hard to breathe, and Nathan began to cough as he struggled for air. Then it came to him.

The cellar door.

Nathan rushed around the room trying to find the cellar door that led to the outside. After feeling against the wall for the door, he found it. With all his might, Nathan tried to open the hatch that led to the outside. He was unsuccessful after the few tries. After a few more tries, Nathan opened the doors. Fresh air blew in to his face, and relieved his lungs. Flames surrounded the edges of the door. Heat could be felt everywhere. Nathan quickly rushed out of the basement and in to the grounds. After running a few yards, he turned around.

The entire house was on fire, along with the vineyards. The house was slowly beginning to crumble as the foundations weakened. Nathan ran to the front of the house to see his parents screaming his name. Kara was crying while Gregory tried to find some way in to the house. All entrances were blocked, and he pounded on the front door with all his might. Fallen wood and debris blocked his way in. Then Nathan yelled to his parents.

"I'm alright!!! Mother! Father! I'm okay!" Nathan screamed as he ran to his parents. They ran to Nathan as he ran to them, and the family hugged tightly. Then Gregory became alarmed.

"Run! Their back! Hurry! In to the forest!" Gregory shouted. Nathan looked behind him to see torches in the distance. They were approaching the family, and they weren't far away.

"They're still alive! Kill them!" a voice shouted in the distance.

Bandits had lit the house aflame along with the rest of the farm. The Hilcrest family had no idea why they had attacked, but they had no time to discuss it. The Shardrock farm was located mere yards away from the beginning of the forest of the Imperial Reserve. Gregory believed if the family could make it to the woods, they would be safe from the attacking Bandits.

Nathan ran as fast as his legs would let him. His parents were a few feet behind them. After a little bit, they reached the woods. They did not stop, but kept running as fast as they could. After a few minutes, the family finally topped when Kara could go on no further. The bandits could not be heard, so the family was safe for now. No one spoke. They sat in silence as they laid down on their backs. Nathan laid still while looking up at the stars. The sky was clear tonight, giving the forest a small light which gave the family the ability to navigate through the forest.

"Father?" Nathan asked. Gregory looked over.

"Yes Nathan? What is it?" Gregory said in a tired state. After a brief pause, Nathan asked his question.

"What's going to happen to us?"

Gregory placed a hand on his face. He breathed deeply, and began to cry. In between his sobs, he spoke.

"I don't know son. But I know one thing. I'm going to find us a home where we can stay. We are going far away from here, away from those bandits. I just have to think. But I promise I will think of something. I have to do it for the ones I love; For you two."

Seven years passed since Shardrock Farm was destroyed, and the family's life had taken a horrible turn for the worst. The Hilcrest family now lived in the Waterfront district of the Imperial City, and was struggling to survive. Gregory worked as a ship hand on the docks, and was paid at such a small rate. He made just enough to keep food on the table while Kara tried to find work. Kara hadn't worked since the time she became married, but she still carried some mercantile skills with her. However, she still had not figured out what she wanted to sell.

Nathan had probably turned out the best out of the three. He was now seventeen years old. His spines had grown longer. He had the muscles of a skilled arena fighter. He had also trained win combat with his neighbor who was an ex-arena fighter. His combat skills with a sword and a bow had become superb. However, there were two things Nathan had kept from his childhood. His blue youth marks had stayed on his face, making him unique from other Argonians. It was a sign of loyalty to carry your youth marks in to adulthood. The other thing Nathan had kept was his youthful spirit, which still longed for adventure. It was the only thing he could really do since there was no job for him to do, and no school. His family could not afford school in the situation they were in now. Every morning, Nathan would get up and run the Imperial City Circle, which was a trail that ran around the city. After that, he would swim from the Waterfront to the southern coast of Lake Rumare, and back which was no short distance. However, being an Argonian, it was nothing. Usually, it would be the afternoon when he was done with his excercises so Nathan would go hang out with his friends after a short lunch at his house. His friends were what kept his spirits up, as life was still very tough. However, it was one night where everything changed.

One evening, Nathan was walking along the docks with his best friend Gunther Fallmore. He was a Redguard, one year older than Nathan was. He had a skinnier figure than the other three, but was very tall. His black hair had a small afro style to it. His blue eyes couldn't be seen because they were blindfolded. Gunther began to reach for the blindfold but Nathan quickly slapped it away.

"Don't even try it." Nathan said with a smile.

"I wasn't! Had an itch in my hair! You wouldn't know what having hair was like spindle head!" Gunther said laughing. Nathan gave him a friendly punch in the side. A couple yards ahead of Nathan and Gunther were two other teenagers who were holding something. One was an Imperial named Sam Draconis. His shaggy hair almost covered his brown eyes completely. Freckles dotted his face. The other was a Dark Elf named Frameni Uveli who had a very buffed frame. His red eyes seemed fixed on Gunther. His long hair swayed in the wind.

Sam and Frameni then lifted what they were holding, which turned out to be a box. Under the box was a small cake that said "18" on the front. After a few moments of standing still, Gunther's three friends yelled loudly.

"Surprise!"

Nathan removed Gunther's blindfold. Gunther saw the cake and grinned.

"No way! Thank you friends!" Gunther said with a big grin on his face. Frameni used his flame magic to light a candle on the cake. Gunther blew out the candle.

"You're going to show me how to do that eventually Fram." Gunther said.

"We will see friend. We will see. Now let us eat." Frameni said.

The friends ate the small cake in a few bites and it was done. The friends threw in a few gold coins to their friend as a gift. It was all they could afford.

"I appreciate this so much friends. I can't accept that. We all need as much money as we can get." Gunther said.

"I think this one time is fine. You two agree?" Nathan asked. Sam and Frameni nodded.

"Well thank you guys. I won't forget this. Especially since…" Gunther trailed off.

"Since what?" Sam asked.

Gunther sat silent for a few moments. His three friends looked at each other. All three were very confused. Then Gunther stood up and told his friends what he had to say.

"Since I'm leaving."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nathan's stomach felt as if it had been squeezed by an Orc's hands and had been totally twisted. His best friend, who had helped him keep his spirits together for the last seven years, was leaving him and his other two friends behind. Gunther broke the news on his birthday, no less.

"W-what?" Nathan mumbled.

"Yes, I… I hate to break the news to you three today, but the time was coming. I mean, who would want to stay here forever?" Gunther asked.

Nathan thought about what Gunther said. He had a point for certain. While there were good people living in the Waterfront, life was hard. People worked hard for small amounts of gold, fresh water was hard to come by, and not to mention the guards and higher class citizens. They looked upon Waterfront citizens as scum who needed to be put in their place. In the end, Gunther had a good reason to leave.

"Then where will you go?" Frameni asked.

For a moment, Gunther said nothing. He paced back and forth, occasionally glancing at his friends then returning to his idle state. Then he stopped and looked at the three.

"I don't know where I will go. I'll do freelance work, I'll see the world, start my own business. Anywhere is better than the situation all of us live in here on the Waterfront. You four know this is true." Gunther said, staring at his friends. Nathan, Sam, and Frameni knew deep down it was true, no matter how much they didn't want to believe it.

Later that night, the friends walked back towards their homes. Sam and Frameni branched off from the other two, as they lived in a different part of the Waterfront district. They said their farewells to Nathan and Gunther as they walked in to the night.

Nathan and Gunther proceeded onwards towards Gunther's house which was closer. Gunther proceeded up the stairs towards the door, but he stopped before he could open it. He turned around.

"I don't believe I will be here in the morning Nathan. It saddens me deeply to say this but… this could very well be goodbye." Gunther said. His face sunk as he said this. Nathan's eyes drooped, and he felt tears slowly come to his eyes. They fell out as he blinked. Gunther approached his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"However, I hope I'm wrong. Perhaps our paths will cross again my friend." Gunther said with a smile.

Nathan replied with a nod. He wiped tears away from his scale filled face, looked up, and met Gunther's eyes with his own. He smiled.

"I'm sure they will." Nathan said. "Wherever your going, be safe my friend. Start a new life, and be happy."

"I will," Gunther said. "And whenever you feel it's your time to leave, go and start anew. Be happy as well. I feel we both have larger callings in life than to stay here forever."

Nathan nodded. He still felt some anger towards his friend for leaving on such a short notice, but that anger quickly began to shrink as they began to part.

"Farewell Nathan. Don't forget what I've told you." Gunther said. He then turned and entered the house, shutting the door without looking back. Nathan stood alone in the moonlight, pondering on the events that occurred that evening. After a few more moments, Nathan continued to his home. Once he arrived, he approached the door. He slowly entered his home as quiet as he could so he wouldn't wake his parents.

He looked around the room to see his mother in bed but his father nowhere to be found. Gregory was most likely working a night shift on the docks helping load the ships, getting however much gold he could. Nathan dressed in to his nightwear and laid in his bed. That night, Nathan couldn't seem to sleep until it finally came early in the morning.

At first light, with only a few hours of sleep, Nathan awoke to a distant noise outside. He sat up and looked outside his bedside window. Out on the lake, he saw a small boat being paddled towards the south by a Redguard. Gunther Hilcrest had begun his adventure, and had left his friends behind.

Over the next year, few things changed for Nathan Hilcrest and his friends. Life at home never changed as his father never got a better job, and his mother never found a job. The family began to get so poor than Nathan had to get a job as a ship hand with his father in order to keep gold flowing in to his family's home. For Nathan, however, working wasn't as miserable.

While working as a ship hand, Nathan met people who adventured around the country and heard their stories. He heard stories of adventures in all regions on Cyrodiil. The Great Forest, Colovian Highlands, Ayleid Ruins, the stories went on. It made Nathan think of the life he could make by going on some of the expeditions these adventurers had been on.

Occasionally while on break Nathan would sit on the dock's edge and look out in to the horizon. Nathan's mind seemed stuck on the idea of exploration. It was so stuck, that he seemed to bring it up in almost all of his conversations with his parents and his friends. His friends would occasionally get annoyed by Nathan's ambitions away from the Waterfront.

His parent's felt differently about the idea. To Nathan's surprise, they were intrigued.

"I don't see why you couldn't do it son. Your strong, in your youth still, and you've been trained in combat by Old Leo next door. I don't see why not. It's your life, and your father and I know you don't want to stay here forever." Kara said to her son one night as they sat at the dinner table.

"I agree with your mother. Also, everyone has a calling in their life. Maybe seeing the world itself is your calling. One thing is certain. With the way you work at the docks, chances are that is not your calling." Gregory said. Nathan chuckled a bit at his father's statement. Nathan knew he was not the best ship hand Cyrodiil had to offer. In fact, he was probably one of the worst. However it didn't matter, because the money helped his family.

"Can you take on the finances without my help anymore?" Nathan asked his father.

"I'll work extra to get more in," his father replied. "If I have to work eighteen hours a day, so be it. I'll keep myself and your mother in this house just fine, don't you worry."

To Nathan, those words started a mental clock until the day he would leave. In a way, he had gotten approval from his parents which he had not expected to come easily. Nathan then told his parents he would leave in two weeks from that night, and that he would work extra to give his family some sort of a financial cushion for a few weeks after his departure.

Those two weeks could not have gone slower for Nathan as he worked longer and harder than he ever had. His will to help his family and the thought of exploring were the two things that kept him going during his final two weeks living at the Waterfront. Nathan didn't do much outside of work. His other activities outside of work were composed of eating, sleeping, and going out with Sam and Frameni.

Sam and Frameni took the news of Nathan leaving extra hard. They were afraid of being left alone, and that Nathan would do the same thing as Gunther. In the year since Gunther had left, he had not sent one letter to any of his friends or his family. He had not paid one visit to the Waterfront. It reminded of the last time Nathan saw his old friend. The image of Gunther in his boat paddling south to the Red Ring Road came to his mind.

"I won't do the same thing he did," Nathan said sternly. "I will send letters, and visit as much as I can. I promise you, this will not be the last time you see me. Not even close."

Then, the day finally came. It was a clear dawn, with a few clouds in the sky. Birds began to chirp as the sun began to slowly rise over the Valus mountains. The docks were silent, and not a soul was in sight.

Nathan Hilcrest stepped out of the door and on to the gravel ground the lay around the shacks. He took a deep breath and awaited his parents, as they had a gift for Nathan to take. Kara came out of the house, and hugged her son. Tears seemed to fall endlessly out of her eyes, along with sobs. As she held Nathan, Gregory came out of the house with a large chest in his hands. He lowered to drop it on the ground. Gregory let go of the chest, and it hit the ground with a loud thud.

"Open it. What's inside is yours Nathan."

Nathan obeyed his father and opened the chest. Inside lay a steel longsword, a sheath, and some old leather armor. There were greaves, gauntlets, a curiass, and a pair of boots. Last was a tattered plain green cloak.

"Father, where did you get this? This, this is too much!" Nathan exclaimed.

"These are the only items I kept from the night the bandits burned our home." Gregory said. Nathan's eyes opened wide. His father had returned to Shardrock farm and he never told him. Only his mother.

"About a year ago, I returned home. It was under you and your mother's nose, I know but I just wanted to see what was left and to see if my chest with all of our savings of gold was still there, which of course wasn't save about a hundred pieces. Everything else, the bandits had either looted or burned. While I was finishing my search, I found this in the basement. It was my father's old armor and sword. They haven't been touched in years, and I'm sure are in fine condition still. I want to pass them on to you, as I'm sure you will need them son."

Gregory then began to cry silently. Nathan walked over to his father and hugged him tightly.

"Your such a good son. And to think I almost told your mother no at the Orphanage. What a fool I was. You're the best son anyone could ever ask for, and you're going to do well out there. I know it." Gregory said as tears flowed down his cheek on to Nathan's shoulder.

"I love you father. You were never a fool. I would never ask for a better father than you. You've done a great job." Nathan said.

"I love you too Nathan."

Nathan put on his newly acquired armor. After getting the armor on he attached the cloak to the curiass, pushing the hood on over his head to finish. Then after applying a belt, he attached the sheath to it. Finally, Nathan slid his sword in to the hilt.

Kara and Gregory stepped back at their adopted son who had completely grown up. They thought they were looking at a knight or warrior, yet it was only their son who had reached adulthood. His cloak swung from side to side in the occasional breeze. His arms were placed at his hips giving him a bulky, intimidating figure.

"I'll get us back to the way we used to be. After standing here for eight years watching my parents struggle in this lifestyle, I'll stand for it no more. As soon as I make a name for myself, I'll come back for you two. I'll get us back to where we were. I promise you, you will see. I love you both, and farewell."

Nathan then turned and walked away to the path that led in to the city. He wanted to give one last look to his family, but if he did, it might give him doubts of leaving. So he continued on towards the bridge to the mainland off the City Isle. Nathan Hilcrest never looked back.


	3. Chapter 3

Achieving the Cyrodiilic Dream

Chapter 3

The City Isle bridge was immense.

Nathan Hilcrest examined what seemed like every single white stone that was used to build the magnificent bridge that linked the Imperial City with the outside world. He had not traveled on the bridge since him and his family had come to the Imperial City when they had nothing except the will to start their lives anew. Flashes of the fire quickly burned in to Nathan's mind. With a quick shake, Nathan shrugged the thoughts from his brain and looked out towards the south.

The Old Bridge on the southern edge of the lake seemed miles away. The water seemed to go on for miles and miles, all the way back towards the forest filled countryside. On the edge of the horizon, the southern Valus Mountains stood high above the ground. The morning sun seemed to cast a light on the snowy summits.

This was the world Nathan was entering, leaving the city behind.

Nathan continued to walk across the bridge. Many people passed by him with some on horseback, some in caravans, and others on foot. A couple Imperial Watchmen riding side by side waved to the young Argonian as they passed by on their routine route. A Black Horse Courier deliverer rode past violently, almost knocking down Nathan in the process. The Khajiit quickly yelled an apology as he rode away at a fast pace. Nathan shook off the dust the horse had kicked on him, and continued onwards until he reached the end of the bridge.

Nathan stood in the middle of the dirt road for a second and thought about his possible destinations. He pulled out a map he had bought the day before and examined the possible places where he could go.

After much debate, the Argonian settled on the city of Chorrol. Hunting was plentiful with a large amount of wildlife filling the wilderness. Many rangers sold their loot in the city to different merchants who sold goods to the public. Exploration also keened Nathan's interest after reading on the Colovian Highlands. Supposedly, no one lived on these areas because of the large amounts of wild animals that could attack. Another fear was of the caves that dotted the hills. However, the main fear was Vampires. The people were afraid of the rumored Ayleid ruins that were inhabited by Vampires would run people away from their homes. Those who stayed would only become prey. Thus, much of the Colovian Highlands remained unexplored. Nathan was sure this was the right city and region to attempt to make a living in.

Nathan took another look on his map to make sure his planned route was the right one, and began to head North. As Nathan stepped on to the Red Ring Road, a guard stopped him while passing on his horse.

"What is your business out here young man?" the guard asked. He ran his eyes up and down the Argonian.

"I am headed to Chorrol sir." Nathan said to the guard.

"Well I would be careful. Here have been many bandit sightings on the road to Chorrol. Also a few attacks have been reported. Best we stay on our guard eh?" the guard asked.

Nathan nodded in return.

"Thanks for the advice sir." Nathan said.

"Your welcome. Just be wary. Are you traveling on your own? You seem, well, just too young to be out on your own. Your parents don't seem to be here." The guard asked.

"That's because I'm on my own now." Nathan said sternly. The guard managed to catch Nathan's attitude and took it the right way. He understood he was asking too many questions.

"Alright. Well you be careful young man. Good luck. We are always on the watch." The guard said.

The guard then continued on his way, and rode away from Nathan. Nathan then began to walk on the road. He Black Road was only a half mile from his current position. Nathan looked along in to the woods that sat on the edge of the road. The occasional howl from a wolf could be heard as it echoed across the lake towards the city. Nathan's auditory senses were immersed in the landscape that surrounded him. He had not had the chance to return to his old friend, which was the wild. The city took up most of Nathan's memory, with few bits and pieces of his old life at the farm still remaining. Nathan had never forgotten the feeling of adventure he experienced in his youth, and after eight long years, the feeling had finally returned to the Argonian. His spirits, which were already high, lifted to an even higher point.

After walking a short while, Nathan reached the Black Road. He examined it closely. The road was slowly uphill, and led in to the Great Forest. Not another being was in sight; just the wilderness and Nathan. It was a twelve hour walk to Chorrol without stopping, so Nathan had a feeling he would have to find a place to stay the night. There were a few inns that dotted along the road, so it seemed like an inn would be the best option. Nathan had a total of one hundred gold coins, so he thought he had more than enough to pay for a three nights stay, and he only needed one.

Nathan realized once he began on this road, there would be no turning back. With a deep breath, Nathan began to walk on to the road. A small part of his attachment to home slowly faded away at this very moment.

The roads were still quiet a few hours in to Nathan's journey. The sunlight pierced its rays through the trees which lit up the woods. The occasional Squirrel ran across the path with its young chipmunks following closely behind. Nathan had no words to describe what was taking place all around him as he continued to watch nature at work.

Then, a loud cry was heard. It was not a human or humanoid cry, it was a cry of pain from a wolf or a dog. Then, a more beckoning cry was heard. A bears roar thundered through the trees. Nathan was afraid at first, but adrenaline overtook his fear. Rangers fought all sorts of creatures, so this could be his first kill. Nathan quickly abandoned the road and rushed in the direction of the sounds.

Within seconds, Nathan saw what was happening. A large black bear had cornered a dog to a rock. After examining the dog closer, Nathan could see a young puppy hiding in fear behind the larger dog. The dogs were golden with white streaks in their fur, giving them a majestic look.

The black bear attempted to strike the mother, but she jumped out of the way. However, her young puppy had not followed. It whimpered in fear as the black bear prepared to attack again. Nathan could stand the sight no more. He pushed aside the fear in his gut, and rushed down the hill towards the fight.

The black bear took a second swing, and a cry let out. The mother, realizing her young had been left behind, jumped in front of the black bears paw and took the claw right to the torso. The mother was knocked aside, hit the side of the large rock, and fell to the ground. She whimpered in tremendous pain. The bear, now focused on the puppy, prepared for another strike. Before it could swing, a knife hit the bear in the side. It howled in pain, and tunred around to see an Argonian standing there with a longsword drawn. The bear roared, and charged at it's attacker.

Nathan was now in a panic. The bear was coming at him at full speed. There were only two options for the Argonian: fight or die. Nathan seemed to be frozen by his senses as the bear came even closer. Finally, with a cry, Nathan broke free of his fear, and charged at the bear. He ran by the bear, striking it in the side with his sword. The bear stumbled forward and fell to the ground, roaring in pain. It attempted to get back on to it's feet, but was stabbed in the back before it had the chance. Nathan Hilcrest held the sword that was lodged in to the bear's back. With a final cry, the bear stopped breathing and lay motionless. Nathan drew the sword from the bear and rushed over to the dogs.

Nathan stopped a few feet away, then felt his spirits fall. The puppy was standing over it's mother, crying. Nathan had never seen a dog show this kind of emotion, as the dog literally seemed to be shedding tears for it's fallen parent. Nathan slowly approached closer. The puppy, aware of Nathan's movements, backed slowly and stood next to the mother and barked at Nathan.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Your safe. Nothing to fear now." Nathan said calmly with a smile. He outstretched his arm towards the puppy, which backed away as far as it could. Then, the mother made a subtle whimpering noise. With it's energy draining, the mother dog slowly got to it's feet. Then, something amazing happened. The mother pushed her young one with her head towards Nathan. It was as if the mother wanted her young to go to Nathan. Then, the mother fell back to the ground. Nathan kneeled down next to the downed dog and petted it. The dog seemed to be at peace as it's final breaths came and went. Then, the dog lay motionless.

The puppy broke down again, seeing that it's mother was dead. Feeling the sadness, Nathan shed a tear as well. Then, the puppy got up and approached Nathan and whimpered. It nudged its head into Nathan's hand, and kept it there. Nathan thought that the puppy now felt it wanted to stay with him.

Nathan was certain he was not going to leave this puppy. It was alone without him, so Nathan did the right thing. He picked up the puppy and cradled it in his arms. Looking at it's underbelly, Nathan found it was a boy. Within a minute, the puppy fell asleep. Nathan then looked at the corpse of the puppy's mother and said one last thing.

"You defended him with your last breath. You've earned the right to have someone take care of him. You chose me when you pushed him to me, and I won't let you down. He will be the finest dog to ever roam these lands. I promise you." Nathan said.

With that, Nathan turned and left the scene. He continued to walk in the direction he came in until he reached the road. Still cradling the puppy, he began to walk down the road towards Chorrol.


	4. Chapter 4

Achieving The Cyrodiilic Dream

Oblivion Explorer

Chapter 4

The sunlight that once lit the forest had disappeared behind dark clouds. The sounds of teeming life in the trees had been replaced with a few rolls of thunder. Ever so slowly, rain drops slowly began to fall. A storm was coming.

It had been a few hours since Nathan found his new companion who was still sleeping in the Argonian's arms, waking up every now and then only to fall back asleep. Yet they still had yet to find an Inn along the road.

"There has to be an inn around here somewhere. I've been walking for hours." Nathan said to himself.

He quickened his pace to a jog. The rain drops were beginning to come down harder. Before Nathan knew it, the storm was completely upon him and his new friend. As he continued to run down the road, the dirt slowly turned in to mud. Before it could get any worst, the Argonian finally saw a light that was further up the road. Using all of his remaining energy and holding tight to the puppy, he sprinted towards the golden light that shined in the rain.

After running as fast as he could, Nathan finally reached the building, almost dropping the puppy in the process. He examined the building closely to see two floors and a sign also by the main door.

The sign read: "The Inn of Azura"

Nathan quickly approached the door and proceeded to knock. After waiting patiently, no one answered. He knocked again.

"Hold on!" a voice came from inside.

A few moments after Nathan heard this, the door swung open. Warmth blasted right in to the Argonian's face. An old Dunmer man stood in the doorway. He looked at Nathan with a cold stare, and seemed as if he had not wanted to have been disturbed. Ashes dotted his face, revealing he must have been feeding a fire too closely. The atmosphere was rather intimidating despite the Dunmer being not much of a threat.

"How much is it to stay in the Inn? I'm headed to Chorrol but the storm has slowed my journey. I was hoping to stay for just one night." Nathan said. The Dunmer wasn't looking at Nathan, but at the puppy. The puppy growled and barked at the red eyed man.

"Not with that thing with you, your not! You will not bring that filth in to my inn if you want to stay here!", the Dunmer yelled.

Nathan was taken aback. He had more than enough money to stay the night. However, after examining the man more closely, he was missing part of his left thumb. A scar lined down from the thumb to the middle of his hand. A dog may have attacked him earlier in his life.

"It will do you no harm sir, I can promise you that. I'll pay double! Please! I have nowhere else to go!" Nathan pleaded.

"There are other inns on this road!" the Dunmer said sternly.

"And if it's too far for you, then find a cave! Your not staying here, that's for certain."

The man then slammed the door right in Nathan's face. The dog whimpered in fear. Nathan, knowing it was useless, stepped away from the inn and got back on the road.

He looked up in to the clouds as the rain continued to batter on his scales. At this moment, Nathan began to have doubts about his whole plan. He could have stayed home, living the rest of his days on the Waterfront working himself to death as a shiphand. And when he died, another person would replace him on the docks. Perhaps wno one would even remember him. Just another worker on a dock.

"No."

Nathan refused the idea. He chose to leave that life behind, and would not turn back now. He looked in to his arms and kept his eyes on the young child that was his puppy.

"I don't even have a name for you yet. Your practically my son now, and I haven't even named you."

Nathan smiled and began to walk down the road again, with millions of names running through his head. Nathan thought of past people he knew, whether he liked or disliked them, and tried to find the right one.

Then the name came to him. Nathan's neighbor was the one who taught him how to use a bow and a sword. His nickname was Old Leo, but his real name was Releon. Releon, while he trained Nathan, told the boy stories of a warrior that was his father. He battled with no fear, no matter how large or small the enemy was. He was a leader, a member of the Blades, and also he was a father. He went by only one name.

"Milton."

The puppy looked up at Nathan and didn't make a sound. Nathan smiled at his companion.

"I think that fits you rather well. Doesn't it Milton?" he said. The puppy wagged it's tail in excitement. With his tounge sticking out, Milton seemed to be smiling. Nathan smiled back as the two continued down the road. Then his thoughts returned to the task at hand. The rain was still coming down, and shelter had to be found. Nathan now had to explore on his own and track down a place to stay. With a deep breath, he ventured off the road and in to the forest.

Nathan looked around and around for any sort of trail. Whether it was footprints, or a smell in the air, it didn't matter. Anything would help Nathan find a place to make camp. After running around hopelessly for a half hour, Nathan sat under a tree with Milton and felt hopeless.

"This is harder than I thought it would be."

Nathan dropped Milton on the ground and folded his arms. He gave a big groan and didn't move. However, his best scouting tool was standing right in front of him. Milton, to Nathan's surprise, burst forward away from the tree barking madly. Nathan got up and watched Milton run a good distance forward and then stop. Milton sniffed the ground. He had caught something, or some sort of scent. He looked back at his master and barked, beckoning him to follow. Nathan ran towards his companion, who took off.

Milton continued to sniff the ground as he ran deeper in to the woods while occasionally stopping for Nathan to keep up.

"Boy I hope you have something on your hunt. I'll take anything right now." Nathan said as he jogged after Milton.

After a few more minutes passed by, Milton came to a collection of large rocks. After sniffing more, he darted around the rocks which took him out of Nathan's sights.

"Milton!"

Nathan followed around the rock to find what he had been searching for all along. A large opening sat in the middle of the rocks, and it could not have been a better sight for the Argonian. Milton sat in front of the opening wagging his tail excitedly. He barked at Nathan, beckoning him to enter.

"Remind me to let you walk more often from now on." Nathan said with a chuckle.

He approached the opening in the rocks, and entered. The first thing he noticed was an awful stench that hit his nostrils immediately. It was so bad, he had to exit the cave and get a full breath of oxygen before entering again. Nathan held his nose and looked around. The cave was very small and had only one room. The most important thing was that it was dry. This would be the perfect place to set up camp except for the smell.

Nathan looked down and found the source of the smell. A deer carcass lay rotting, with chunks of it's torso missing. The body still seemed somewhat fresh.

"Looks like Milton has some dinner." Nathan said. He bent over and grabbed the corpse by the legs and pulled it out of the cave. Milton began to bark madly at the corpse.

"I think this is what you smelled from far away boy. Good catch." Nathan said.

He drew his sword and began to hack away at the corpse. Nathan, knowing nothing of what was good to eat and what wasn't, played it safe and cut meat from the carcass. After getting good chunks, he brought pieces inside.

"Milton. Come." Nathan said. The dog did not come inside. It stood there with it's head tilted to the side. Nathan could tell the dog was confused. He then tried hand motions to see if Milton would respond. After what seemed to be a hundred times, Milton began to understand the command. He came inside the cave, and sat in front of Nathan. He smiled at the successful command, and fed the puppy some of the meat he cut off from the carcass.

After sitting in the cavern for a good hour, Nathan's clothes had dried somewhat, while Milton was still wet as could be. His golden fur simply would not dry. Nathan had simply refused fighting the dog's instincts. Milton would run outside the cavern, come back in wet as before, shake off the water which would land on Nathan, and repeat the process.

After a while Milton's energy ran out. He returned to his master's lap and proceeded to sleep. Nathan, feeling his energy leaving himself, laid his head down and fell asleep as well. The rain continued to fall through the rest of the day as the two lay sleeping.

Nathan's eyes slowly opened to a bright yellow light. He placed his hands over his eyes to avoid being blinded by the light. After fighting off the sleep, he sat up and opened his eyes.

Morning had come.

Nathan felt Milton awakening as the puppy rose its' head and yawned. Then he climbed on to Nathan's chest and proceeded to lick him until he was forced to stop. Nathan placed a hand on his friend's head.

"Good morning to you. I bet your hungry."

Nathan rose up to his feet when he noticed what he just said.

"Hunger."

The need for food hit Nathan rather quickly. Nathan had not eaten a single thing since he left his home on the Waterfront the day before. He quickly approached the deer carcass which was still outside the cave. He cut off a piece of meat and held it in his hand. He almost threw the meat in his mouth until he examined it more closely.

It was completely raw, cut right off the body. The smell was almost too unbearable for the Argonian. After hesitating, Nathan placed a chunk of deer meat in his mouth and began to chew. It was cold, wet, and almost seemed chunky. The taste was the worst part, almost forcing Nathan to spit the food out. He stuck with it, and swallowed a few pieces. It didn't satisfy his hunger, but it gave him enough energy to continue. He turned to Milton, who was waiting for his piece of meat.

"I can wait to eat in Chorrol. Maybe I can learn how to cook something while I'm there. After today, that's probably useful. I'm sure you agree." Nathan said. Milton wagged his tail and whimpered.

"I know, I know. Take it."

Nathan fed chunks of the meat to Milton, who proceeded to eat them quickly.

"Maybe you don't have a need for my cooking skills." Nathan said smiling at the dog. After bearing through a few more pieces, the two were ready to continue their journey onward. Nathan gathered his gear and exited the cave with Milton following. The grass made a squishing sound underneath Nathan's boots as he walked through the wet grass. The water had not completely dried from the storm. The sun however was beginning to rise over the Valus Mountains far to the east. It seemed to lift Nathan's spirits as he trodded on to the road with Milton. His thoughts were bent on Chorrol. He had no doubts about getting there. Nathan was worried about a job. Perhaps there was a hunter or a ranger he could talk to around the town. That was a place to start.

A few hours later, Nathan and Milton were mere miles from Chorrol. They were proceeding along the road when Milton suddenly stopped. His ears raised high on his head as he heard a noise.

"What is it boy? Hear something?" Nathan asked.

Then a cry rang through the forest.

"Help! Someone help! Please!" a man's voice yelled. It sounded Imperial. It came from down the road.

"Milton, let's go!" Nathan said.

The Argonian ran full speed down the road, Milton following close behind.


End file.
